Speaking to ‘Loose Women’ on Monday afternoon, Kristina admitted that the furore surrounding her friendship with Ben made her want to quit ‘Strictly’ altogether.

Kristina Rihanoff

She explained: “I was in a bad place because my mother was suffering with a breast cancer scare, and the press were so horrific at that time that I thought that maybe there was a time where I needed to step out.

“She was extremely upset... she was absolutely devastated to read some of those things.”

Kristina went on to say that she wants to be known to the public for her work in her professional life, rather than as a celebrity, insisting: “I didn’t come on the show to be portrayed in a certain way or for my private life to be slashed across the papers, because we all want some privacy.

“For me it was always - let your work speak for itself, it’s all about what you do on the dance floor, how good you are as a dancer, as a choreographer and as a coach for your celebrities. That’s what should be the topic of conversation.”